something-red wrote:Not too sure of the signing of Ilori to be honest.

He's not going to get many games. Agger, Skrtel, Sakho and Toure are all well ahead of him and he's not going to get better from just training. Can see him getting loaned out in January... think 8m is a hefty price, hopefully that doesn't put off us from signing a player in the next window.  

how i see it XI 1st Agger 2nd Sakho, Back up 3rd Toure, 4th Ilori

Skrtel is definitely ahead of Ilori at this point.

McAgger wrote:Skrtel is definitely ahead of Ilori at this point.

And how is that? The former is/was ostracized and Ilori's transfer was sanctioned by BR.

The fact that BR kept Skrtel maybe even though he had 3 months to get rid of him

Or maybe he was waiting for the new signings to get finalized first? The way I see it, Skrtel is gone by January.

Can't see Skrtel agreeing to stay another 6 months if he knew he was just getting sold in January. There's definitely more to it.

If Rodgers has shown anything in his time at Liverpool, it's that he's willing to forget a player's struggles and repay good performances with runs in the first team/game day squads. Downing provides the prime example, with Carragher and others giving further evidence. Also, have you bothered to read the latest interview from Skrtel? The club specifically told him during the window that they were relying on him... not looking to sell.

You're going to have players become cup players and others play EPL. That's how i see it.

I think 3 young experienced CBs and 1 experienced little aged CB and Ilori...we should be having pretty good defence in cup games also...I think in Jan coates will surely be loaned or sold, but I doubt it whether skrtel will leave

Coates will not be back from injury by January, most likely.

RedOranje wrote:If Rodgers has shown anything in his time at Liverpool, it's that he's willing to forget a player's struggles and repay good performances with runs in the first team/game day squads.  Downing provides the prime example, with Carragher and others giving further evidence.  Also, have you bothered to read the latest interview from Skrtel?  The club specifically told him during the window that they were relying on him... not looking to sell.

I agree with your first statement but how is it applicable to Skrtel? He basically filled in for Kolo against United. BR doesn't trust him, otherwise he wouldn't have bought in three new CBs. Yeah I read his interview.. the club didn't want to sell him. But having potentially 7 first team CBs sounds unrealistic to me. Perhaps, BR and co. were waiting for the signings to get finalized first in order to not lose depth (in case they fail to happen, like last year) and by that time it had gotten too late.

Almost certain if Napoli put in a bid and not a loan, Skrtel would be a Napoli player right now.

Glad he stayed though.

From the start of the window I always wanted a CB to come in and help Skrtel/Agger. Kolo Toure has had a great start, but I still don't think he's no way near a first team player.

Still not sure how Ilori fits into this.

I think McAgger may be on to something with his 352 formation.

The deals for the CBs were in the pipeline BEFORE Skrtel's performance against United, and both are much longer-term options than Kolo, Skrtel, or Agger. Ilori certainly isn't above Skrtel in the depth charts and it's a fair bet that with his performance against United Skrtel has moved up in Rodgers estimation. Skrtel was specifically told we'd be relying on him, and you AGREE that Rodgers is willing to put faith in players that he previously did not if they perform well when given the chance... seems absolutely polar opposite to then say that Rodgers has no trust/faith in Skrtel after previously agreeing that he's open to changing his opinion on players after they put in performances like Skrtel's. And Napoli, by nearly all accounts, DID make a bid to sign Skrtel permanently. They were simply refused.

That said, one good performance should NOT count for more than two, or other factors. So I would be neither upset nor surprised to see Toure favoured or Sakho given a chance to show his ability after the international break.

So studge will not appear in Moldova clash :great: and he has returned to liverpool.
But he might feature against Ukraine so he may fly back . Players should play for NT but if he is not fit, I hope he doesnt join NT squad

If BIB theories are ever an indication to the final squad it seems neither Sakho nor Ilori would be getting there debuts on Monday. But Moses just might. The ones in green in the training photos from today seem to suggest that.

Thus it might mean Kolo would be back!!

Then again haven't seen any pictures to suggest who would be put in at RB!

Sturridge, Kolo & Allen all available for Swansea!!!

Brilliant news

I had completely forgotten about poor Allen. Glad he's back.

Coates, Cissokho, and Johnson are the only 3 in the treatment room now. Also Kelly still recuperating.

We're looking good

Many clubs have their best strikers at No.9. . . LFC have arguably the best Strike Partnerships in Europe at the moment!!!!

Their No. 9 is Iago Aspas!!!

Comedy Gold!

That's the trick Iago Aspas will become the best striker hahahahahaha

Fahim89 wrote:Many clubs have their best strikers at No.9. . . LFC have arguably the best Strike Partnerships in Europe at the moment!!!!

Their No. 9 is Iago Aspas!!!

Comedy Gold!

You should be thankful that we have worthy people wearing our # 7 & 10 these days.

iftikhar wrote:
You should be thankful that we have worthy people wearing our # 7 & 10 these days.

No issues at all with 7 & 10 but 9 cannot be this bad!!!   

I feel sorry for the lad Aspas, he is a good kid and great human being

We need a 3 man midfield, hopefully people see it wasn't Gerrard/Lucas that was the problem, but it was we were only playing with a 2 man midfield. (Again, Hendo/Gerrard/Lucas was solid.) Henderson and Gerrard didn't click as a duo. Again, a 2 man midfield very rarely works in the PL. And our team is not suited to it. This isn't the first time we've played a 424 under Rodgers, and it hasn't been the first time we've struggled.

Any who, with 3 in the middle means we play with 3 up top. SAS are obviously guaranteed 2 starting spots, that leaves Coutinho or Sterling for the remainding spot.

Sterling's been in good form, but I think we need to drop him in the next game for Cou. He may be wasteful in front of goal, but we need his playmaking skills. He can link the midfield to attack... and he has a good mental understanding with SAS. As does Sterling, but we need creativity.

Rumours are out that Johnson need's a knee operation and thus has been playing injured this whole time.

Is it possible to play with an injury, and that too in the knee, that requires surgery!!!  

WHAT happened to Kelly??????????????????????????????????????????

He has played FIVE games and probably been substitute for 3-4 of these. At a time we are fielding two abysmal players on both flanks and Flanagan playing regularly before getting injured.

With over half the season gone, if he haven't got enough fitness or form to displace Johnson or Cissoko (something Flanagan, who is much younger and less hyped, had done), it's really a cause for concern. Wisdom is playing regularly for Derby and next season he is likely to be considered main back-up.

Have any of you seen him play lately? Senior team, youth/reserve? How did he look?